Weekend Getaway - San Clemente

"People love the beautiful things." This from the founder of San Clemente, Ole Hanson. You heard me, Ole Hanson. I just love that name so much. You can't help but put on an old-timey voice on if you go to the San Clemente Ralphs because Ole Hanson first used it as a stable and then he opened up that same location as The Hotel For Sick People (aka a hospital). Now it's...

The San Clemente Ralphs, once The Hotel For Sick People

Ole Hanson started the town of San Clemente in the 20's. It was to be a Spanish City by the Sea. And it is. It's far enough from both nearby cities (San Diego and Los Angeles) to feel you've gotten away. And dude, I needed to get away.  

Me Feeling the Rut of Home

Of course I love living in LA. I absolutely do. But if you don't go away once in awhile you have NO perspective on where you live. Someone important said that. 

Me.

Me on Vacation is a Happy Me

San Clemente is really known as a surfer town and home to Camp Pendleton Marine Base. My friend Max's, Dad, was based here in the 60's where he learned to surf before being shipped off to Vietnam. He got his board from Hobie who had one of the first surfboard shops in the country right in Dana Point, which is the town just above San Clemente.

Surfing Family waiting to park at San Onofre

My husband likes to surf and I like to sit on the beach and do nothing so this seemed like a good place for us to go. And he already knew San Clemente. It's the town right above San Onofre where all good surfers (he is one) make a pilgrimage.

Surfers at San Onofre

But the waves were rather flat the weekend we were there so we didn't really partake too much.

Terry making a Dribble Castle

We did though swim in the water. It called to us. San Clemente has one of the nicest, most mellow and fun beaches in SoCal. I had no idea of course. And it's not hard to park there. I fear parking at beaches like nobody's business. It just sounds hard ALWAYS. Of course if you go to San Clemente and want to be very close then you should bring tons of quarters: it's 10 minutes per quarter. We on the other hand found a sweet parking place TWO DAYS IN A ROW right on the street. Parked for FREE whu-what? Two days in a row? Yep. Also the beach bathroom is clean (this from a girl who HATES HATES HATES public bathrooms) and the water is niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice.

Frankly, it really doesn't take much to make me happy. That's another way of saying money's tight. So why then, might you ask, would I choose a beach town at high season? Because I like to research and find the least expensive way to be happy. Presenting...

Happy: The Patriots' Boutique Motel

I did not take that picture. I found it on the internet. But you get the idea. The Patriots' Boutique Motel is a pretty plain place. In fact my husband thought they should go to a Hotel/Motel Art Fair and buy some more pictures. But in reality, neither of us could care less. The most important thing - and I mean like ESSENTIAL - was the bed was comfortable. And I mean it was outrageously comfortable. Like we didn't want to leave this super plain room because we loved the plain bed so damn much. 

Who needs art?

All I need are some tasty waves, a television set and a comfortable bed and I'm fine. (also the room was super clean and $150.00 per night which included tax and whatever other fees there were. The price was right).

As for the town itself, there are two main strips: El Camino Real and Avenida Del Mar. I'm not going to lie, it's okay. It's a mixture of Radio Shacks and Subways with cute boutique stores, restaurants and surf shops. Stand-outs include Reclamation, a lovely and beautiful shop that showcases reclaimed wood and bottles used to make one-of-a-kind furnishings and art, one very delicious olive oil store, a store about mermaids, the famed Ralphs, and a sex shop, ConRev, smack dab in the  middle of El Camino Real. The girls that work there are really friendly and look you straight in the eye; they don't want you to feel shy. So don't go there if you think you can disappear. You can't.

As for the food, hmmm. Listen, this isn't the foodie capital of the world. San Clemente is a pretty straight-foward place. That being said, here are some highlights:

The Original Banzai Bowl located right on El Camino Real is a fruit, smoothie, juice place and also a hang-out for teens. I loved the interior. And concluded it's a good place to drop in if you want something refreshing:

For breakfast: My favorite place was Zebra's at 1001 South El Camino Real - which also was like a five minute walk from the motel. You walk to the left, past The Bagel Shack (which looked good and thatched), the famous Ralphs Hospital, and then you hit Zebra's. 

The guy who owns it has the best beard I've ever seen in my life. The girl who works the counter has one side of her hair in blue WHICH matches her blue vintage car. The muffins are fresh-baked every morning with fresh fruit in them. Delicious! And their coffee hit the spot. You can trust that I know a decent cup of joe. I'm a major coffee snob, there are a million references about this on this blog, so if I say the coffee is good, it's an end-of-discussion moment. Also they play Bread and Three Dog Night and America and you gotta love a place that plays soft hits from the 70's.

The other stand-out for coffee was in Dana Point, just north of San Clemente. I have no pictures or cutesie stories about JC Beans but again, the coffee was tasty, it was a fast drive from our hotel, and I forgot my wallet and the girl told me that it was okay. No Problem. Just pay me next time.

I like beach people.

Lunch? I don't got nothin to say about that but for dinner, if you're smart, you will not listen to the locals and you'll listen to me. Avenida Del Mar is where all the main restaurants are. And nail shops (yep, we got a pedi at one of the two Minghee's)... 

Terry's first pedi

But back to food. Everyone recommended we go to this one place that shall remain nameless. Here is the place that I want you to try:  Village Mediterranean Rim. It's a Moroccan-y, meaty, Mediterranean-y place with so many choices for Tagines it's unbelievable. (Tagines are slow-cooked meat & veggie stews though I think at Village Med in addition to their meat one-pots there is also a straight-up veggie option). The food is fresh and delicious, stew-y and comforting. Though not all of it is tagined - they also offer entrees like Chermoula Encrusted Salmon ($27) and Braised Leg of Elk ($25). It's romantic, open-air, the service is a little slower than you'd like but you're on vacation so who cares? The owner was born in Damascus, trained in Italy and spent time in Morocco. And Brentwood where he had a successful bunch of restaurants. Now he's here, has been for awhile. He likes all of the freshest ingredients, has good taste and a good eye -- in other words, the ambiance is lovely. So for a romantic, delicious dinner, this is a safe bet. And for what it's worth I highly highly highly recommend the Lamb Meatloaf Tagine served with cous cous. Yumtastic. Tender, tasty, filling, original.

That being said, I cannot lie. My favorite meal was a Noosa Raspberry Yogurt mixed with some salty almonds that I got at Ralph's.

Because you don't really come here to eat. At least that's how I now see it. Truthfully, before we went I'm not sure what I expected or wanted out of our weekend away but what I got was one of my favorite visits to a beach in a long-ass time.

This girl was so excited to be buried in sand. I swear, she was the most adorable thing on the planet

Nothing much beats zinc'ing up your body with sun block (might I recommend Sun Bum Zinc Oxide 50 which we picked up at Hobie's on Camino Real and it was perfect) and chilling out on the sand with a fantastic book. 

This book is so good - addictive.

There were families everywhere, couples frolicking in the waves (yep, including us), kids on boogie boards, adults on boogie boards, surfers, sunbathers, joggers - it was like that scene from "Jaws" minus the shark business.

What a grand way to get out of town and less than two hours away (even less if you download Waze). So worth the drive. And so worth downloading Waze! If you haven't done so, chop chop!

Pedi + Beach = Happy

Directions: While it's just over 60 miles south of LA, San Clemente can easily inch into a mega slow drive. Normally you'd take the 5 from LA there and back. That being said, check out Waze. We did so much circuitous stuff I couldn't possibly repeat it but all I know is we loved how fast our route was. On a Friday, when we left at 3pm we got there at 5. That's pretty amazing considering that should've been the worst traffic on the planet. Do though be careful. If you go the weird Waze way you may end up on Tollroads. Those fees have to be paid relatively quickly. To find out how paying for The TollRoads works, click HERE. 

Ralphs is at 903 South El Camino Real

Hobie's Surf Shop in San Clemente for Men is 100 South El Camino Real and for Women is at 151 Avenida Del Mar.

Info for The Beach at San Onofre

Info for The Beach at San Clemente

The Patriots' Boutique Motel is located within walking distance of the beach (and the owner even offered to drive us there. LOVE beach people!). Right now a Double during weekdays goes for $109, on the weekends it goes for $139 (not including tax and fees). Obviously this is subject to change. Book through their website for the best deal. They welcome dogs! 711 South El Camino Real, San Clemente, CA 92672. 949-218-6348.

Reclamation is at 105 Avenida Del Mar. 949-545-6400. They offer shipping.

The Olive Oil Store is actually called Oliver's Olive Oil. It's at 211 Avenida Del Mar. They offer shipping.

ConRev is at 401 South El Camino Real. It's right next to a Subway. I didn't see this location listed on their website so I included the link to their Yelp page.

Minghee's is at 132 Avenida Del Mar. Walk In's welcome.

The Original Banzai Bowl is at 120 South El Camino Real. 

Zebra House Coffee is at 1001 South El Camino Real.

JC Beans is at 34114 Pacific Coast Highway in Dana Point. 

Village Mediterranean Rim is located at 123 Avenida del Mar. They do take reservations. 949-361-8970. Casual but nice attire.

Enjoy!

Community, The Search for Green Cake is Over!

Now If I didn't live here, I'd probably do what people from out of town do all the time, and go to places that are famous or have been written about in travel books. But if you want a more local experience, then trust me when I steer you towards little gems, as I've discovered Community as being.

According to the co-owner, Community has been on Hillhurst in Los Feliz for about two years. Really? How the hell did I not notice it? But when you go to the same street every day, isn't it amazing what you overlook? Maybe it's because this is the same street where I get so much stuff done. Lassens, for example, is on the corner of Ambrose and Hillhurst.

Lassens is kind of like Whole Foods without the Holier-Than-Thou attitude. And by the way, I go to Whole Foods. I think Whole Foods is practically without rival when it comes to fruit, vegetables and oddly low-priced clothing that is good for travel. But I don't know, maybe I hate my own Holier-Than-Thou kind because whenever I go to Whole Foods, from the moment I get out of my car (or enter the parking lot if I'm in West Hollywood) I experience a constant but persistent low level of irritation. The whole experience is sort of riddled with the feeling that I'm a sucker. Like I'm part of a wide-reaching cult but I'm the one who knows it's all a lie and yet I can't break free because I just don't have the guts.

Little natural foods stores like Lassens are old-school annoying. People are slower there (or more testy depending on what food they're not eating). But that all aside, Lassen's has everything you need and some very helpful employees. It reminds me of the first natural food places in teeny towns that had frozen yogurt machines and really messy carrot juice counters. Back before granola was fattening. Before people turned on wheat. I love it here and frankly they have an awesome vitamin selection. Cheaper than Whole Foods for sure. And if you're looking for a fresh sammy to take to Griffith Park or to wolf down in your car, Lassens is worth it. I'm a sandwich snob so trust me on this.

Also on this little stretch of Hillhurst is Leo's Salon. I go there once a week if I can because my favorite manicurist, Maria, is there. 

I didn't see Maria there because it's closed on Tuesdays.

I don't know how I found this place but now I'm so glad I have. I grasp the fun of getting your mani or pedi with a friend at one of the Korean places, stretched out listening to Muzac versions of "Walk This Way" and paying 5 dollars for another 5 minutes of calf-rubbing, but I like my convos with Maria and she does a VERY GOOD JOB. Like the best. It's just me and her, catching up on this and that, and watching the strange people who come in and out of the joint. This isn't a fancy dancy place or like I said, one of the many Korean salons. This is a small shop where it seems a lot of old people and B actors go. And me. I'm comfortable here and Maria's the salt of the earth. Not to mention it's not expensive AND she's a meticulous waxer as well.

And then past the other nail place is Community. 2 years it's been here. Just sitting here. Accepting me ignoring it. I'm so sorry Community. How many lunches could I have had if I had just opened my eyes????

It's that little brown building next to Copy Cat. See? Doesn't quite stand out.

Okay so I enter. Sit down. There are nice long wooden tables. And comfortable chairs. And it's a sparse but pleasant looking room. Very simple art. Sort of a clean mod-country-hip-Martha-Stewart thing going on.

My friend Susannah walks in not shortly after. Tuesday has somehow become the day I have lunch with my new bud. I'm always entertained watching her order since she frets like crazy over what to get and whatever it is, once my dish arrives, she knows she positively ordered the wrong thing.

Look how serious she is

And not that I'm not normally nice to waiters. But when the waiter's new and sweet as can be, I feel as if I've been given a job. Like I am now supposed to be nicer than the other people he might encounter today. Almost overly nice. Like I'm the nicest person he's ever met in his LIFE.

Look at how he's smiling at me. I AM THE NICEST PERSON HE'S MET TODAY!

They do this thing there where they have the waiter ask for your first name. I think it's to be friendly. Well, frankly I think it's some kind of a ploy. Like a whole, "Relax, laugh, enjoy, feel good here. We're all a part of the same... community." What what? Yeah, I don't love ploys AT ALL. 

But when this one asks you what your name is...

Who are you to be a jerk about it? No! That would be so freakin uncool! REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE THE NICEST PERSON EVER, RIGHT? And frankly, so is he. So you proudly say your name, smile and relax. Laugh with Luca. Ha ha! You are a part of this thing. So is he. This... community. 

The menu is homey, yummy, comfort-y but the food doesn't taste heavy and certainly not greasy. In fact it tastes clean. It seems like the perfect respite if, for example, you were going to hang out in Griffith but want to catch a lunch or early dinner (it closes at 8 pm). Or if you want to meet a good bud for lunch but would like enough energy to be productive in the afternoon, this is a good spot. To that end, all their sammies can be made into salads if you're off the bread (and if you are, no offense but really, keep it to yourself. That's so 2012). In fact Susannah did get her Turkey BLT as a salad and I did the same with my Fried Chicken Sandwich. Because I'm off the bread (whoops).

Fried Chicken (as a salad) and Turkey BLT (as a salad)

They serve everything on these metal trays that could seem cafeteria-ish but in fact they look rather vintage and I definitely liked them as they went with the whole mod-country-hip-Martha-Stewart thing motif. But so how did it taste?

Dude, it rocked. Seriously. Tasty, fresh, clean tasting. And the aioli that came with the chicken wasn't overpowering. I tried Susannah's Turkey BLT as a salad -- similar to a cobb without the egg - and it was really good. The bacon that came with it was yum-yum-yummerson and the avocado was fresh and plentiful. They had some other things on the menu I look forward to trying. The OMG Lamb Sandwich which I read about on Yelp has me curious. So when I go back, I promise to try something different. And I will go back because...

There's dessert. I don't eat dessert in the day, which if you keep reading this blog you will find out is a lie. I try not to eat dessert during the day. But the woman who is co-owner, Jennifer, probably could tell I love dessert and I love cake and I saw they had Coconut Cake for a special. So without even asking us if we wanted it or waiting for an answer, she gave us two mini-slices of cake:

This is when things got serious. This is when the real stuff went down. One was a chocolate mousse, the other the beloved coconut cake. Both were moist, delicious, really pretty sublime. I felt completely fulfilled at this point and like I had no need for anything else. Except I guess she liked us so she gave us a slice of Carrot Cake and a little something she likes to call "Pistachio Cake." 

When I was growing up my Mom used to make Green Cake. It was only once a year, when my parents would throw their annual New Year's Day Party. Picture a party in the suburbs with all the dressed up parents from "Ice Storm" but with absolutely no sexual tension. That was this party. Anyway, that Green Cake was by far my most favorite dessert on the planet.

That's the Green Cake on the Left

We tried serving it at our wedding but was unsuccessful in our search for anyone who made it. Here, my friends, here you can find Pistachio Cake aka Green Cake and it will make you feel as if you died and went to heaven. Absolute Heaven. [Vodka Name Pitch].

The whole experience was delightful. I certainly will keep it in mind for when I'm sort of pal-ing around this fun little stretch. Because if like me, you want a little high-end tastiness in the middle of the day, Hillhurst now has it. Or has had it for 2 years but well, you understand. I seriously had NO IDEA.

Community is open Tues-Sun for lunch & dinner. 2044 Hillhurst Ave., LA, CA 90037. Metered parking in front of the restaurant. Free street parking on Ambrose and Commonwealth.